Category Archives: Europe

Madrid will again host the World Forum for Peace in 2018

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from La Vanguardia (reproduction strictly for non-commercial purpose)

The Spanish capital will host again in November 2018 the second edition of the World Forum for Education for Peace which it held in April this year, with the participation of over 400 international representatives who sought solutions to the different types of urban violence.


Manuela Carmena

Mayor Manuela Carmena, has announced that Madrid will once again host the event in remarks to journalists at the end of an event commemorating United Nations Day. She said that the Spanish capital has “identified with peace as a possible instrument of governance and development. ”

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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The forum, promoted by the mayor of Madrid and her Parisian counterpart, Anne Hidalgo, will stay for the second consecutive year in Madrid because “it is necessary to fix well” the forum, according to the mayor, who wants “Madrid to remain the capital of peace”.

In the first edition held between 19 and 21 April, experts from more than 70 countries, a hundred of them mayors, addressed solutions to various forms of interpersonal violence, which has generated between 2000 and 2014 the death of six million people, more than those killed in wars.

The King inaugurated the meeting in which local governments and civil society organizations signed the “Madrid Commitment of Cities of Peace” to promote “a culture of peace”, to create actions against violence that go beyond “punishment” and fight against corruption.

The meeting addressed different types of violence: youth gangs, racism, homophobia, gender violence, school bullying and urban inequality.

On this occasion, according to EFE municipal sources, the team of Manuela Carmena will work to include personalities of the highest level, and the Forum will be attended by the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

The first edition was held in the impoverished district of Villaverde (in the south of the Spanish capital), which welcomes large numbers of emigrants and unemployed citizens.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe

Spain: Melilla Unesco Center will host the presentation ‘Islam: Culture of peace and non-violence’

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from Islamedia (translated by CPNN)

The Unesco Center in Melilla announced yesterday [October 17] the celebration of the conference: ‘Islam: Culture of peace and non-violence’. The talk will take place in the Salón de Grados of the Campus of the University of Granada in Melilla, at 19:30 hours.


Amaruch Mohamed and Juan Antonio Vera (Photo: Christian Calvo)

The speaker, Amaruch Mohamedi Amaruch, is a doctor in the area of ​​Didactics of Language and Literature (University of Granada) and has obtained the Degree of Expert in Islamic Legislation by the European Institute of Human Sciences (in Chateau Chinoun, France).

Islamic religion

He also has linguistic competence in Tamazight and has completed the Higher Cycle of Arabic and French by the Official Language School of Melilla. He is currently a teacher of Islamic Religion on the staff of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport.

Common origin

In his presentation, the lecturer plans to delve into the common origin of the three major monotheistic religions of the world, the Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths, in the figure of the prophet Abraham and religion in young people today.

This conference is an event organized by the Unesco Center of Melilla, with the sponsorship of the Institute of Cultures and with the collaboration of the University Campus of Granada in our city. Last week another conference was held in the series that addressed the melting pot of cultures that is Spain.

(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article).

Question related to this article:
Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Europe: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following 96 events in 27 European countries were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 21-28 under the key words “International day of peace”, “journée internationale de la paix”, “dia internacional de paz” and “dia internacional da paz”. In addition, this includes many events listed on the following websites:
– “>Global Feast for Peace,
– “>Peace Wave,
– UN event map for the International Day of Peace.
– Campaign Nonviolence
– and the twinning project “I want peace”.
No doubt there were many events listed on the Internet in national languages other than those for which we searched; this can be seen from the map where events were much more clustered on the left where national languages are English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.



Here are excerpts from the articles originally published in French on the Internet (translations by CPNN):

MOUSCRON, BELGIUM : A colorful and symbolic exhibition of children’s art for peace was inaugurated on Wednesday, the eve of the International Day of Peace, in the reception hall of the Administrative Center of Mouscron

FRANCE, over 50 cities : On the occasion of the International Day of Peace promoted by the United Nations and on the initiative of Mouvement de la Paix and its associatied trade union and institutional partners, including L’Humanité many meetings are scheduled in over fifty cities [capitalized with links for those with with Internet articles]. In the Alpes de Haute-Provence in Manosque; in the Hautes-Alpes at Laragne-Montéglin, GAP and La Roche-des-Arnauds; in Ardèche to Tournon-Tain; in the Ardennes in Charleville-Mézières, in Bouches-du-Rhône in MARSEILLE and Aubagne; in the Calvados at Caen and Arromanches; in Correze; in Haute-Garonne in Toulouse; in the Hérault at Juvignac; in Ille-et-Vilaine in RENNES; in Isère at Saint-Martin-d’Hères; in the Lot at Cahors; in the Morbihan at Hennebont and Lanester; in the Nièvre; in the Pyrenees-Orientales in Alenya; in Saône-et-Loire at LE CREUSOT; in Savoie in Chambéry; in Paris ; in the Yvelines at Achères, CARRIÈRES-SOUS-POISSY and POISSY; in the Tarn at Albi, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Damiatte, Gaillac, Saint-Benoît-de-Carmaux, Senouillac; in the Hauts-de-Seine at Nanterre and Malakoff; in Seine-Saint-Denis in Tremblay-en-France, Saint-Ouen, Saint-Denis, Bagnolet, Stains, Montreuil, Aubervilliers, Blanc-Mesnil, Bobigny and Villetaneuse; in the Val-de-Marne in Villejuif, Boissy-Saint-Léger and Vitry-sur-Seine.

In addition to the preceding list, internet information is available for marches and other initiatives associated with the Mouvement de la Paix in the following cities in France:

ANGERS, BESANÇON , BÉZIERS, BLOIS, BREST, CORRÈZE,GONFREVILLE L’ORCHER, MARTIGUES, MOULINS, QUIMPER, RIVE-DE-GIER, SAINT-ETIENNE, SENS, STRASBOURG, THIONVILLE

AMBOISE, FRANCE : Two paintings were unveiled yesterday morning in the courtyard of the Paul-Louis-Courier school in Amboise, as part of the International Day of Peace organized by the United Nations. These drawings were made last June by the three classes that participated in the action proposed by the local InnerWheel club, which, like every year, relays this international day by establishing a partnership with a school in the city.

BOULOGNE-SUR-MER, FRANCE : Photo of gathering around the Ginkgo biloba tree for the International Day of Peace.

CHAMPIGNY, FRANCE : This Thursday, the new collective Campinois pour la Paix invites everyone to participate in a projection-debate around the film “The bomb and us”, within the framework of the International Day of the Peace.

DIEPPE, FRANCE : In order to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21, the municipality of Dieppe has invited young and old to share in the forecourt of the town hall to draw a dove with colored chalk. “This is the 9th time that the city of Dieppe has participated in the demonstrations in favor of peace,” explains Yves Bégos, Dieppe city councilor.

EMBRUN, FRANCE : Videos, music, choir on the theme of peace

LILLE, FRANCE : Gathering for the “International Day for Peace” organized by AFPS 59/62, Northern Palestinian Community, LDH, MRAP, CSP59, Collective Africa, Communist Coordination, Movement of Young Communists, Tourcoing Gaza Solidarity peace and the call of the AFD 59/62 joined by MRAP, LDH, MJC, Collectif Afrique, … more than fifty people demonstrated this Wednesday 20/09 from the Gd Place to the Prefecture of Lille for the liberation of Salah. Portraits of Salah and Marwan Barghouti were hung on the “balcony” of the North Theater, denouncing the links of the French State with the colonial state and demanding the immediate release of Salah Hamouri. More than a dozen of our Palestinian friends were present.

LONGCHAMP, FRANCE : The Longchamp Ceramics and Crafts School in its own way appropriated the International Day of Peace by making students think and create works of art. This first initiative for the establishment will perhaps lead to the creation of a charitable association.

OUISTREHAM RIVA-BELLA, FRANCE : On September 21st, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the Maison de l’Europe de l’Eure – Center Europe Direct is organizing the Citizen Dialogue “Let’s talk about Europe in the Normandy region: Europe, Peace … Really ?”.

PEYRIAC-MINERVOIS, FRANCE : Festival of Peace, in Peyriac-Minervois, sunday, september 24, 2017, Foyer of Campagnes

SAINT JULIEN MONTDENIS, FRANCE : Shared picnic and festive afternoon to celebrate International Day of Peace

UNIEUX, FRANCE : Concert – Chorale, International Day of Peace, 21/09/2017 at 20h00, Théâtre Le Quarto, Organized by the Town Hall of Unieux

SAILLON, SWITZERLAND : In order to create a public event and support this UN initiative, several spiritual associations of the Valais have decided to organize a meditation at a symbolic place: the vinyard of Farinet. It is open to any belief or spiritual practice, welcome on September 18, 2016 from 2.30 pm.

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND : Location: Palais des Nations. Building on the success of the four previous editions, the Geneva Peace Talks will be held for the 5th time on September 21, 2017. Organized under the theme “Building bridges”, the purpose of the Geneva Peace Talks is to promote the end of closed to work together to generate common solutions and understanding in times when uncertainty has become the new standard. By telling us their stories, speakers will share their experiences and ideas, inspiring and discussing the role that each and every one of us can play in building bridges.

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Here now are excerpts from articles published on the Internet originally in English:

ZENICA, BOSNIA-HERZOGOVINA : As part of planning for the International Day of Peace set to take place on 21st September, 2017, GNRC–Bosnia and Herzegovina led by the Women’s Association for Interreligious Dialogue in Family and Society (Mosaic) working in partnership with the World Vision International, held an awareness workshop for women in Zenica.

STOCKHOLM , SWEDEN – In celebration of International Day of Peace today, Yogayama and Anna Gordh Humlesjö invite you to celebrate Yoga for Peace with us this Saturday, September 23rd. Practicing yoga alone might not end all conflict in the world but when practicing yoga and meditation and cultivating peace within ourselves we can hopefully, through our conscious actions, contribute to more peace in the world.

BINGLEY, UNITED KINGDOM – People from all cultures mark International Peace Day at Bankfield Mercure Hotel in Bingley.

CHESHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM : At the Arches, Community Primary School, today, was the International Day of Peace. We talked about what peace means to us and where we go to get our 5 minutes of peace, just like Mrs Large. For peace in our classroom it is important that we respect each other. We talked about how we can respect each other. We decorated hands to show our promise to respect each other and learn together.

LONDON UNITED KINGDOM : Gala performance in partnership with Children of Peace and The International Peace Institute to celebrate the opening of ‘Oslo’ in the West End.

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Question for this article

What has happened this year (2017) for the International Day of Peace?

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Here now are excerpts from articles published on the Internet originally in Spanish or Portuguese (translations by CPNN):

ALICANTE, SPAIN : Celebration of the International Day of Peace in the Maloca Workshop with Exhibition of Children’s Drawing Competition on Peace . . . Poems for Peace, Dance Perfomance for Peace, Photocall

CORDOBA, SPAIN : September 20 Mural painting in schools – September 21 Raising the flag of Peace in the Plaza San Martín. Lecture by the Secretary of Health. September 22 de septiembre Closing: Festival for love of life

EUSKADI, SPAIN : The Youth Council of Euskadi (EGK), in collaboration with the Bilbao City Council, will celebrate the #GazteokBizikidetzan event on Thursday, September 21, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, in which a group of young people from Euskadi will meet in the Plaza del Arriaga to discuss and reflect on coexistence.

PINTO, SPAIN : The City of Pinto celebrates this date with activities especially aimed at children and young people of the municipality. This includes the reading of a manifesto drafted by the Council of Children of Pinto which will highlight the defense of peace and various proposals to maintain it from the point of view of the children of the municipality.

MADRID, SPAIN : On Thursday, September 21, the Movement for Peace, MPDL, organizes a public event in the Plaza de Callao in Madrid at 7 pm to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

PAMPLONA, SPAIN : On the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day of Peace, which is celebrated on September 21, the Government of Navarre has organized a recital of music and poetry at the Auditorio de Barañain on Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m., as a preamble to the event institutional event of the 22nd, in which Tudela will recognize the work of Federico Mayor Zaragoza in favor of a culture of peace.

ROME, ITALY : To celebrate the International Day of Peace, on Thursday (21), the Coliseum in Rome will receive 7,000 drawings made by students from more than 30 different countries. The exhibition is called “Colors of Peace” and its purpose is to share a future of peace and unity. It begins today (21) and will be available to the public until September 24. The drawings of the students will be hung in the grids that surround the monument, creating the concept of a great union through the paintings.

BELMONTE, PORTUGAL : An initiative of the Municipal Library of Belmonte, the International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 21 on Rua Pedro Álvares Cabral. All participants are urged to dress in white. After the march the participants will go to the mall where there will be many activities.

BRAGANÇA, PORTUGAL : 400 students from the Emídio Garcia School Group in Bragança marked the International Day of Peace in front of the Cathedral of Bragança. The children and elderly people participated through poetry and music allusive to the theme of peace. In the end they built a dove, the symbol par excellence of peace.

LINDA-A-VELHA, PORTUGAL : The Lourdes Norberto Municipal Auditorium hosted a 21 September International Peace Day. In the debate, the following spoke: Carlos Carvalho from the CPPC [Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation ] National Directorate, Amilcar Campos CPPC activist, Augusto Flor, President of the Portuguese Confederation of Recreation, Culture and Sport Collectivities, and Célia Portela from the Union of Lisbon Trade Unions / CGTP-IN, followed by a discussion with the participants. This was followed by a cultural act in which poetry was recited by Armando Caldas and Fernando Tavares Marques and a musical moment with the intervention of singer Batista.

MADEIRA, PORTUGAL : Today, the International Day of Peace calls for a a moment of reflection. In Madeira, a meditation will take place in the garden of Galeria dos Prazeres, starting at 7pm.

OLIVEIRA DO HOSPITAL, PORTUGAL : Three hundred children from the 1st CEB of the School Group of Oliveira do Hospital participated this Wednesday in a worldwide initiative, the International Labyrinth Marathon, to commemorate the International Day of Peace. It took place at Fiais da Beira in the replica of the Labyrinth of Chartres that is owned by the couple Lydus Kramer and Maaike Niemantsverdriet. As the children walked through the labyrinth, Graça Silva, a councilor of Education, welcomed those present for their participation in this worldwide movement that started here in the locality of Fiais da Beira.

RIO MAIOR, PORTUGAL : The city of Rio Maior was once again the stage of a series of initiatives aimed at marking the “International Day of Peace” including students of the various educational establishments of the city together drawing a symbol of human peace and an afternoon in which the musical animation was in charge of the School of Music.

SINTRA, PORTUGAL : Sintra’s Town Hall joins the celebrations of the International Day of Peace, with a symposium on the theme “Sintra as an example of communion between peoples and cultures”, on September 21 at 4:00 p.m., in the National Palace of Sintra.

In addition to the above events with pages on the Internet, there are a number of events in Europe listed on the event map for the International Day of Peace, including:

VILVOORDE, BELGIUM – Together with the local Flemish community, communities like the Congolese, Moroccan, Turkish and Spanish ones, share their culture with each other through food, artistic performances

TALLINN, ESTONIA – The Estonian Quakers are organizing a small public gathering to celebrate the UN Peace Day.

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA – 66 schools and kindergartens from Lithuania join the World’s events for the World Peace Day through meditation and Peace dance of the Earth.

MERSFOORT, NETHERLANDS – (Soul) Concert for World Peace.

OSLO, NORWAY – The students and families at Oslo Rock School join together to perform John Lennon’s Imagine.

PRAHOVA , ROMANIA – Peace drawings by an English class for peace day

SCORNICESTI, ROMANIA – Plant a tree for peace by Secondary School Gh..Popescu

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM – “Stand-Up For International Peace” and “Peace Day Comedy” at over 50 global comedy clubs with the goal of bringing much needed public awareness for Peace Day.

DUBLIN, IRELAND – “Stand-Up For International Peace” and “Peace Day Comedy” at over 50 global comedy clubs with the goal of bringing much needed public awareness for Peace Day.

Some European events are listed on the Peace Wave webpage of the International Peace Bureau:

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – Aktiv mod Krig will prepare a Peace Boat Trip in the canals of Copenhagen on September 21sT

MUTLANGEN, GERMANY – On September 23rd there will be a meeting with about 60 people to commemorate 40 years of “Ohne Rüstung Leben” (Living without Arms).

BOLOGNA, ITALY – On 21 September inauguration of Senzatomica Exhibition at Pieve di Cento, near Bologna.

CASTIGLIONCELLO, ITALY – A high level conference organized by Pugwash and Union of Scientists for Disarmament, 21-22-23 September

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – CND groups and members will hold a local constituency lobby and make appointments to see their MPs Friday 22nd or Saturday 23rd September to discuss supporting the UN treaty.

Many cities and communities are members of the International Peace Cities network and the following European cities are listed on the Global Feast Map as celebrating a feast to mark the International Day of Peace. They include:

CYPRUS: NICOSIA
GERMANY: BERLIN
NETHERLANDS: AMSTERDAM
SWITZERLAND, BERN, LUCERNE
UNITED KINGDOM: COVENTRY, BRADFORD,

Campaign Nonviolence lists European activities in:

UNITED KINGDOM: LONDON, YORK,
GERMANY: BREMEN, KAISERSLAUTERN
SWITZERLAND: BASEL

Also there are many European entries for the International Day of Peace on the website of the twinning project “I want peace”. They include:

AUSTRIA : OBERWART,
BULGARIA : KAZANLAK,
GERMANY, BERLIN
GREECE: ALEXANDROUPOLIS, ARTEMIS, GALATISTA, ALLARTOS
ITALY : ORNAGO, GENOVA
MACEDONIA : KIZOA, SKOPJE
POLAND : DALESZYCE, SIEDLCE
PORTUGAL : ESPINHO, ALJUSTREL
SPAIN : NAVÀS, LA CANDELARIA, LA GAVIOTA
UKRAINE: NOVOVOLYNSK

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

Ex-Soviet Countries: International Day of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A survey by CPNN

The following 104 events in 12 countries formerly part of the Soviet Union were listed in “Google News” during the week of September 21-28 under the key words “Международный день мира”, “День миру in UA 2017” and “Міжнародний день миру”as well as “International day of peace”.



There are so many articles that we can only provide excerpts from some, while others are simply listed with their links below. Unless otherwise indicated, they were translated from the Russian by CPNN.

We begin with articles from RUSSIA (in alphabetical order):

ASBEST : In order to educate the rising generation of tolerance and patriotism on September 21, 2017, the School No. 8 held an action dedicated to the International Day of Peace. Junior students took an active part in it. . . . .Primary school teacher Marina Viktorovna Resnianskaya held classes in the 1st to 4th grades, where she spoke about the little ambassadors of the world – children who, despite their young age, were concerned about the problems of preserving peace on our planet, preserving and developing friendship and understanding between people of different nationalities, between states. . . . Pupils of 3 – 4 classes prepared literary compositions about peace, friendship, mutual understanding and spoke before junior schoolchildren of 1 – 2 classes.

BELGOROD : A festive concert was held in the public garden on the alley of sister cities. The pupils of the nearby schools were told about the history, significance of the holiday and how Belgorod is connected with it. . . . The music program was prepared by the artists of the city “House of Officers”. The poem about the friendship of the peoples was read by Nikita Tyufanov, a student of the Moscow State School of School No. 21. At the end of the event, doves were released into the sky as a symbol of peace throughout the world.

BIROBIDZHAN : The action “Dove of Peace” was held on September 21 in Birobidzhan. A special event, including a youth flash mob and the launch of paper birds dedicated to the International Day of Peace, which was celebrated this year for the 15th time. Representatives of public associations, schoolchildren, students of the regional center took part in the action,

CHELYABINSK : On the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2017, in the framework of the project “Dove of Peace”, classrooms were held in classrooms, at which the teachers told about the history of the proclamation of the International Day of Peace, with high-school students a conversation was held on spirituality. Kids of the 9th grade prepared stories about the South Ural people, the heroes of the Great Patriotic War. At the end of the lesson, the students of the school made white doves – a symbol of peace and launched them on balloons into the sky.

CHUVASHIA : September 21, 2017 in the National Library solemnly celebrated the International Day of Peace. The start of the holiday was the meeting of the traveler Nikita Vasilyev, who returned from a two-year tour by bicycle in East Asia. Nikita and his friend Anastasia Safonova were warmly greeted by members of the bicycle movement “Sun on Needles”, friends and journalists.. . . Nikita and his associates were met by officials and students. In the big assembly hall people of the most different generations, nationalities, types of activity, who are eagerly awaiting a meeting with the hero of this day – about 200 people gathered. . . . The lesson of peace ended with a large photo and autograph session. A press conference was organized for journalists.

DAGESTAN : The International Day of Peace was celebrated in all schools of Nogai district on September 21, RIA “Dagestan” . . . in the framework of the International Day of Peace and the international action “The One Hour of Spirituality” Dove of Peace. . . . Within the framework of the celebration of the International Day of Peace in schools and library system of Nogai district there are exhibitions of drawings, books, open lessons and class hours dedicated to this topic. . . . At the end, students launched white paper doves into the sky – birds of peace, symbols of the peace, tying them to balloons. The balls took off under the song of I. Dunaevsky “Fly,doves, fly.”

ЗАБАЙКАЛ : On September 21, the international community celebrates the International Day of Peace. On this day a number of events will take place at the Theater Square of the regional capital. Among them, the action “We vote for peace!”. In addition, from 14:00 to 17:00 the library will hold a thematic quiz and a book-illustrative exhibition. From 16:00 to 17:00 there will be a master class of pupils of art schools in the city “We Draw the World”, and from 17:00 to 18:30 there will be a concert of the group “Shock Wave”.

KYZYL : 21 activists of the Youth Movement of the Republic of Tuva made and presented to guests and residents of their native republic paper doves, as well as baked cookies in the form of a dove in preparation for the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students 2017, which will be held from October 14 to 22 in Sochi.

KAZAN : A youth flash mob, dedicated to the International Day of Peace, was celebrated today. Several hundred students of the Kazan Federal University released 200 balloons and 11 white pigeons into the air . . . .Why 211 balls and pigeons? This is the idea of ​​the Kazan Federal University, because it will soon be 211 years old, “head of the Conflictology Department of the KFU, Doctor of Political Sciences Andrei Bolshakov told the IA” Tatar-inform “correspondent. “The International Day of Peace is a holiday that helps to unite all people, to bring to them that the world is better than any war. It helps us understand that life is much more important than all the nonsense of extremist organizations, “said Flashmob participant Galina Tokareva, a first-year student of the Conflictology Department of the KFU.

KURGAN REGION : To mark the Day of Peace, large-scale events and actions took place in the Kurgan region. So, the volunteers of Shadrinsky State Pedagogical University visited kindergartens, giving the children the symbol of the World – a white dove, held a drawing competition “The World through the Eyes of a Child”. In Vargashinsky district the schoolchildren were shown a presentation dedicated to the Japanese girl – Sosaki Sodako, who survived after the disaster in Hiroshima. Activists of the Russian movement of schoolchildren of the Dalmatovo region organized a review of social videos with discussion. On the Victory Square in Shchuchye, a patriotic campaign “Youth for Peace” was held with the participation of young men. They gave passers-by leaflets and expressed their position on the issue of peace on Earth. White pigeons were distributed on the streets in Kurtamysh and Tselinny districts.

MAGNITOGORSK : For the International Day of Peace, lessons were held in all classes – the children learned about the history of the International Day of Peace, prepared dove figures from white paper, which became a symbol of personal commitment to peace. They spoke about the role of Russia in World War II and the feat our peoples in the liberation of the world from fascism and militarism. In the classroom, each student was able to feel himself part of an international community striving for world peace.

OMSK : Secondary school № 95 hosted events dedicated to the International Day of Peace. On a classroom, students discussed the need to preserve peace on earth. Among the students of grades 3-6 there was a competition of posters “We are for Peace!”, Students of the 7th grades held a discussion “No good can be expected from war”, and students of grades 7-9 took part in the essay competition “War is a crime that is not redeemed by victory.”

VERKHNEURALSKY, IN CHELYABINSK OBLAST : The International Day of Peace was held in all schools of Verkhneuralsky district. The students cut out and folded paper doves, as the symbol of the International Day of Peace. On this day, school lessons were held, on which verses about peac, the history of the holiday, the purpose of the event were heard. The students remembered veterans of the Great Patriotic War, those who defended the world on our planet, worked in the rear in the war years. On the paper doves they wrote the names of the dead heroes, defenders of the Fatherland, wishes for peace and good, gave paper pigeons to classmates, teachers, parents.   The brightest event of the day for all the children of the district schools is the action “Dove of Peace”, flashmob “We are for peace! with simultaneous launching into the sky of air helium white, blue, red balloons with paper doves, on which the wishes of peace and good were written. The dove best expressed the desire for flight, for freedom, for peace. Children, teachers, parents, representatives of the Council of Veterans, public organizations took part in the action “Dove of the World”.

YEKATERINBURG : By releasing paper doves into the sky: Yekaterinburg celebrated the International Day of Peace. The action gathered about a hundred Yekaterinburg students and schoolchildren. They were not stopped by the rain, or the autumn coolness.. . . Ekaterinburg joined this action for the first time.

Other similar Internet reports for the Day of Peace in Russia came from:

ANIVA, SAKHALIN OBLAST
ARKHANGELSK
ASTRAKHAN
BEREZNIKI, PERM KRAI
DERBENT
DZERZHINSK
GALICH
INGUSHETIA
IZHEVSK, UDMURT REPUBLIC
KAMENSK-URALSKY IN SVERDLOVSK OBLAST
KALUGA
KIROV
KOLOMNA
KORKINO
KOSTROMSKAYA, KRASNODAR KRAI
KRASNOYARSK
MARX GOROD
MOSCOW SCHOOL 215
MOSCOW SCHOOL 1195
MOSCOW NEKRASOVKA DISTRICT
MOSCOW NOVOKOSINO DISTRICT
MOSCOW TYOPLY STAN DISTRICT
MOSCOW GORKY PARK
MOSCOW SILINO DISTRICT
MOSCOW ZYUZINSKY DISTRICT
NORILSK
MURMANSK
NAZRAN, REPUBLIC OF INGUSHETIA
NIZHNEVARTOVSK
NOVOSIBIRSK SCHOOLS
NOVOSIBIRSK SIBERIAN UNIVERSITY OF CONSUMER COOPERATIVES
NOVOSIBIRSK ROERICH MUSEUM
NOVY URENGOY,YAMALO-NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
ORENBURG
OZYORSK, CHELYABINSK OBLAST
PERESLAVL-ZALESSKY
PETROVSKA, SARATOVSKAYA OBLAST
PETROZAVODSK
PROKUDINO, BELGOROD OBLAST
PSKOV
ST. PETERSBURG
SAMARA
SARATOV
SHADRINSK
SIMA
SIMFEROPOL
SOCHI
TIMASHYOVSK, KRASNODAR KRAI
TVER
UST-ILIMSK, IRKUTSK OBLAST
VELIKIYE LUKI
VORKUTA, KOMI
VORONEZH
VOLGOGRAD
YAROSLAVL
YELABURG
YELABUZHSKY, TATARSTAN
YENISEYSK, KRASNOYARSK KRAI
ZAOKSKY DISTRICT
ZELENOGORSK
ZHELEZNOVODSK

And here are articles from other countries that were once part of the Soviet Union:

YEREVAN, ARMENIA : Today, 20 September, the summarizing exhibition of the painting contest “I am a Sower of Peace” dedicated to the International Day of Peace was opened at the UN House in Armenia. . . .This year 613 schoolchildren from 101 schools of 11 regions of Armenia have presented their paintings to the contest: this is four times more than was last year. Almost all of the authors of the 86 artworks selected for the exhibition attended the opening accompanied by their parents or teachers.

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN : The action “One hour of spirituality” Dove of Peace “” and a video conference “Partnership of sister schools within the framework of the international youth movement” took place in Baku in the Classical Gymnasium No. 160 and the Elite Gymnasium. In gymnasiums in support of peace on balloons, white paper doves were launched into the sky. They were written names of Soviet soldiers who died in the Great Patriotic War. The events were attended by students and teachers of gymnasiums, veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and members of organizations of Russian compatriots.

SUKHUMI, ABKHAZIA : Students of the Sukhumi boarding school took part in flash mob “Dove of Peace” and launched 100 white balls with paper doves symbolizing peace and gratitude to veterans of the Great Patriotic War

(Survey continued in right column)

Question for this article

What has happened this year (2017) for the International Day of Peace?

(Survey continued from left column

BREST, BELARUS : On September 21 . . . . In Brest this year the action took place on the territory of the regional center of the Olympic reserve for rowing. . . . .Every visitor had the opportunity to install a lamp on an improvised “alley of the world” in memory of all the children who died innocently in various hostilities. . . . .As part of the celebration of the International Day of Peace, a bike ride and a race of skaters with the slogans “For Peace!” were held. Also, a large-scale dance flash mob took place.

PINSK, BELARUS : Schoolchildren joined the celebration of the Day of Peace, which is celebrated annually on September 21. On this day, in secondary school No. 3, as in many educational institutions, they conducted thematic lessons, after which schoolchildren took to the streets of the city to give passers-by a postcard depicting a dove as an international symbol of peace.

BOBRUISK, BELARUS : From September 18 to September 25, 2017, a week of peace is held in Pervomaisky district of Bobruisk. A joint inclusive exhibition at the library “Give a smile to the world” was organized by the day care unit for the disabled and accompanied by the social protection institution “Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population of Pervomaisky District of Bobruisk” in cooperation with the Children’s Library No. 5. On September 19, the lesson “Peace lesson: peace for children all over the world” was held for the visitors of the day care center for the disabled and the accompanying residence

GOMEL, BELARUS : In Gomel on the International Day of Peace, 35 children were born. Already entered into a good tradition to assign the status of “Child of Peace” to babies born on the International Day of Peace. This action was held yesterday in three Gomel maternity wards. Representatives of the Gomel regional branch of the Belarusian Peace Foundation congratulated young mothers and their babies. . . ..For 11 years, when the action is being held, more than 600 “children of peace” were born in the Gomel region. In 2017, 56 children received this status, of which 35 are new residents of Gomel. . . . “The Belarusian Peace Foundation” is doing everything possible to support children throughout their life. They are invited to various events, congratulate on holidays and give gifts.

GANTSEVICHI, BELARUS : On Thursday, September 21, in the Gantsevichi Regional Museum of Local History, a museum lesson was held under the title “Symbol of Peace” as part of the International Day of Peace. The event was attended by pupils of the RCSD of the city of Gantsevichi. During the museum lessons, the children got acquainted with the history of the holiday, watched a video about the day of peace, and also took part in the action “The Sound of the Peace Bell” and drew a dove, which is a symbol of this holiday.

MOGILEV, BELARUS : To conduct a solemn gathering “The One Hour of Spirituality” Dove of Peace “students of the HONOVSKY UPK DS-SCH began to prepare in advance. Together with the class leaders they bought balloons filled with helium, prepared paper doves, on which it was decided to write the names of the participants of the Great Patriotic War. The school day of September 21 began unusually, with a unique class dedicated to the International Day of Peace. Representatives of all classes and groups lined up unanimously, they were given a responsible mission – to launch dove balloons into the sky.

MOLODECHNO, BELARUS : On September 21, in Molodechno Oblast, activities dedicated to the International Day of Peace were held by the Molodechno District Organization of the NGO “Belaya Rus” in conjunction with the Molodechno branch of the Belarusian Peace Foundation. The Day of Peace was dynamic, colorful and very touching. . . .. During the action, poetry and songs about the world were heard. The children and adults joined hands and said “We are for Peace!” At the end of the event, all present were invited to write on paper doves their thoughts about Peace and attach them to the great School Dove that became the symbol of Peace!

TALLINN, ESTONIA : Today, September 23, is not just another day off. Today, residents of Estonia, not indifferent to the fate of their beloved country, gathered together in the Schnelli Park. A few dozen people who spoke to each other in Estonian, Russian, Finnish and English, formed a friendly column and under the slogans “WORLD PEACE!”, “NO WARS!”, “STOP NATO!” walked along the streets of the Old City. Leaving the Town Hall Square in Toompea, the demonstrators held a rally in front of the Estonian Parliament.

TARAZ, KAZAKHSTAN On 21 September, the International Day of Peace, the Zhambыlskom medical college held a meeting with the international antinuclear movement “Nevada-Semipalatinsk”. The event was attended by city officials, educational institutions and public organizations of the region. A documentary film about the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Ground was shown. During its four decades of existence, about five hundred nuclear tests were conducted at the test site. And at the dawn of independence, our Republic was one of the first in the world to renounce its nuclear arsenal.

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN : With a number of state institutions and NGOs, the Friendship Festival was organized by the network “Women Peacekeepers of Kyrgyzstan” with the support of UN Women in the framework of the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Peace. Peaceful actions devoted to strengthening peace and stability in Kyrgyzstan were held in all seven regions of the country. The headline event of the Friendship Festival on the central square of Bishkek was attended by employees of the Office of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, deputies of the Jogorku Kenesh, the diplomatic corps, residents and guests of the capital.

TURMUSH, KYRGYZSTAN :
International Day of Peace celebrated in Kochkor region (photo only of children’s show)

AK-SUU DISTRICT, KYRGYZSTAN : The International Day of Peace was celebrated in the village of Teploklyuchenka in the Ak-Suu district (video of public event with children dancing to traditional and contemporary music and balloon release at end)

RIGA, LATVIA : Riga veterans and youth launched white paper doves tied to colorful balloons in the sky as part of the “Dove of Peace” action. Each participant wrote on the pigeon’s name – most often a relative who did not return from the war, or a comrade of arms. Some came with posters with children’s drawings: happy people holding hands, neat little houses, green grass, blue sky.

SLOBOZIA, MOLDOVA : Slobozia hosts the action “One Hour of Spirituality” Dove of Peace “, in which more than 60 people take part, a solemn gathering in which the leadership of the state administration, students and youth of the city will be involved . . . This action involves a one-time launch into the sky by schoolchildren of paper doves attached to balloons. On the wings of the birds the children write warm words of wishes.

KISHINEV, MOLDOVA : The Moldovan public movement “The Children of Victory” with the support and assistance of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in the Republic of Moldova held a number of actions in Kishinev, Beltsax, Cantemir and other cities of the country aimed at strengthening the ideals of peace both within the republic and its peoples, and between states and peoples of the whole planet. . . . The holiday began in the country’s educational institutions with the flash mob “Dove of the World”, when, under the famous song “Fly the Doves, Fly” by I. Dunaevsky, students simultaneously launched into the sky white paper doves tied to balloons filled with helium. On each pigeon, the guys wrote the name of the deceased hero – a participant in the Great Patriotic War or a worker in the rear – those who gave their lives to protect peace on earth. On the same day, a videoconference “Partnership of sister schools within the framework of the international children’s and youth movement” was held with veterans, heads of public organizations, students of Kishinev schools.

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN : At the Tashkent institute of irrigation and agriculture mechanization, a spiritual enlightenment event entitled “Peace – a guarantee of people’s wellbeing” has taken place. This event was devoted to International Day of Peace.

(Note: Most of the following articles are translated from Ukrainian.)

UKRAINE IN GENERAL In total, 50 organizations have joined the all-Ukrainian action “Peace Day Ukraine 2017”, which will hold a holiday in 32 localities. The main goal of the project is to promote understanding and reconciliation in Ukrainian society, the organizers of the “Day of Peace UA 2017” said. It is implemented by the NGO “Stan” Youth Organization.

KIEV, UKRAINE : On September 21, 2017, on the initiative of the Union of Women of Ukraine in Kyiv, events took place on the occasion of the International Day of Peace with the participation of representatives of the authorities, central organs of the city executive, UN representatives, wives of foreign ambassadors in Ukraine, veterans’ organizations, activists and youth of the city of Kyiv. . . . ..During the event, doves were released into the sky – a symbol of Peace, happiness and love. . . . The President of the League of Women of Ukraine, Leokadiy Gerasimenko , addressed the audience, emphasizing the importance of celebrating World Peace Day throughout the world, and emphasized the role of women in peacekeeping activities: “This day is especially important, as our territory is currently undergoing military action. And it’s very symbolic that women are united and uniting huge forces around themselves to build and preserve peace.” So, Leokadiy Volodymyrivna noted that Ukrainian women not only collect help for men who are fighting the state in the east of Ukraine, but also go to the front and risk their own lives for the sake of saving the wounded.

KIEV, UKRAINE : Kiev youth held a flash mob on the Independence Square with posters and balloons and Kievans marked the Day of Peace with a gala concert.

KURAKHOVE, UKRAINE : On September 21, when the whole world celebrates the International Day of Peace, the Kurakhiv city center of culture and leisure held a city action with a video show “Peace to Everyone!”. All the educational and pre-school institutions, creative groups and residents of the city took part in this thematic video presentation, as reported by the Kurakhovsk City Council.

MYKOLAIV, UKRAINE :
Video of school celebration of International Day of Peace by Secondary school №52  

ODESSA, UKRAINE : International Day of Peace: Odessa schoolchildren launched balloons and doves into the sky (photo) . . . September 21 this year. pupils of Odessa schools took part in a large-scale flash mob dedicated to the celebration of the International Day of Peace in Odessa’s Starobazar Square. . . .

The following are links to Peace Day celebrations in other Ukrainian cities:

GLUKHIV
IVANO-FRANKIVSK
KAMYANETS-PODILSKY
KOVEL
KREMENCHUK
MAKAREVO
MARKOVKA
NIZHYN
RUBIZHNE
SUMY

(Note: the following cities are claimed by the Ukraine, but have declared their independence as the Donetsk People’s Republic or the Lugansk People’s Republic.)

DONETSK : The International Day of Peace will be remembered for a long time by the children of the Republic. Representatives of the Ministry of Information and Administration of the Kuybyshev district of Donetsk came to the orphans of the children’s home “Teremok”.

ENAKIEVO : On September 21, educational events dedicated to the International Day of Peace were held in the educational organizations of Enakievo. . . . The students of Enakiev’s schools took part in solemn events under the general title “The One Hour of Spirituality” and the flash mob “Peace Dove” in support of peace in the Donetsk People’s Republic. . . . On this day, thousands of paper doves , made by the hands of schoolchildren of the city, were launched into the sky. In addition, the contests of drawings and posters “Peace in Our Hands” were held in the city’s general educational organizations, the lessons of the world “Peace, that is Our Earth!”, The action “We are for Peace!”, was held in classes.

GORLOVKA : The celebration of the International Day of Peace was held in the City Palace of Youth on September 21.

KRAMATORSK : September 21 . . . a day of renunciation of violence and ceasefire worldwide . . . In Kramatorsk flashmob participants, holding hands, created a circle of peace around the symbolic heart, painted in the central square of the city in the colors of state symbols. The participants of the flash mob performed the song “Peace over Ukraine”. In the final flashmob was launched balloons, in state colors. More than 150 people took part in the action.

KHARTSYZK :
In Khartsyzk, on this day, in front of the City Palace of Culture . . . the school organizations of Khartsyzk called upon the international community to pay attention to the situation in the Donbas, where the last three summer events are war, terrorism by the ruling Ukrainian elite, and deep contradictions between the previously fraternal people imposed by the same Ukrainian government. . . . At the end of the holiday, all school organizations were photographed against the background of the banner of the Donetsk People’s Republic, where the word “PEACE” was printed in large letters and colored balloons were released into the sky.

STAKHANOV : A festive flash mob took place on the square at the Gorky Palace of Culture today. Students from schools and gymnasiums of the city, activists from the Stakhanov movement of the social movement” Mir Lugansk region “, representatives of the youth NGO” Youth for Peace “and children’s Youth Organization (DUO) “Young Guard” . . . “Several hundred children were holding paper doves in their hands as a symbol of peace and prosperity, and they released multicolored balloons into the sky,” the city administration added.

SVYATOGOROVKA, DOBROPOLSKY DISTRICT : On the International Day of Peace in Svyatogorovo the school OSh held a series of activities. In the classrooms there were educational hours, exhibitions of drawings were held, an exposition in the library was prepared. The outcome of the International Peace Day was the holding of a flash mob “Under the Peaceful Sky”. The same events were held in other schools of the Education Department of Dobropolsky district.

Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, South Asia,

France: What mobilizations for peace?

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article in L’Humanite (translated by CPNN)

Panel discussion with Paul Quilès, President of IDN, former Minister of Defense and former Chairman of the Defense Committee of the National Assembly, Patrice Bouveret, Director of the Armaments Observatory, co-host of Ican France (International Campaign to abolish nuclear weapons) and Roland Nivet, vice-president of Mouvement de la Paix.


Background facts. With the exacerbation of tensions in Asia, the question of peace is urgent. As part of the International Day of Peace, a call for demonstrations everywhere in France on Saturday 23 September was launched by a collective of more than 50 organizations.

A renewal of international tensions seems to be observable since the inauguration of the new President of the United States. Is this situation irreversible?

Paul Quilès
Donald Trump is not solely responsible for what you call the revival of international tensions, even though his foes and his changing and aggressive attitude tend to destabilize the international scene. Beyond the excitement of a news that the media make us live minute by minute, we must put the developments in their context in the long term. Our multipolar world is crossed by many conflicts of interests and potential confrontations. The reduction of tensions can only be achieved if there is an international will of the great powers to dialogue, which is irreconcilable with systematic defiance, radical antagonism and threats.

The new arms race that we are witnessing is making this dialogue even more difficult. It is regrettable in this respect that France, which is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), is not meeting its commitments and is preparing to substantially increase the budget for nuclear deterrence. As for the official discourse of the atomic weapons powers (including France), it is similar to that of the North Korean leader in an astonishing way, justifying the possession of this weapon by the need to defend the “vital interests” of their countries ! The agreement negotiated two years ago with Iran shows that even in a very complex context, a strong political will and persevering diplomatic work can open the way for a less conflict-oriented world.

Patrice Bouveret
The renewal of tension began before Trump came to the presidency of the United States, although his way of managing his country’s relations with the rest of the world resulted in an acceleration of certain ongoing crises. Effectively, we have to get out of the short media time to take into account, on the one hand, the root causes of the current international disorder – mainly the reinforcement of inequalities – on the other hand, the main threats we face, climate change and weapons of mass destruction. History has taught us that no situation is irreversible. Everything depends on the ability of different civil societies to seize this or that topic to shake up the game of states and their leaders – both internally and within the international community. In this regard, the adoption of the UN treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons last July is a good example of what mobilization of associations can achieve when they group around a specific objective and find relays among a majority of States. The fierce opposition of the nuclear Powers, the pressure they have exerted on many States, underlines, if need be, the shock caused by this development.

Roland Nivet
Trump multiplies irresponsible decisions and contributes to creating a climate of fear to justify massive increases in the US military budget, a source of profits for the military-industrial complex. It will be increased to $ 600 billion in 2018 (+ $ 54 billion). It fuels the arms race ($ 1.8 trillion worldwide in 2016), the militarization of international relations, and perpetuates the logics of domination. The policy of NATO encircling Russia, the Korean crisis, etc. strain tensions. These policies accentuate the uncertain and dangerous character of the present period. The situation, especially in the Near and Middle East, shows that war is always a failure, leads to chaos and engenders monstrosities like Daech. It is never the solution. On the other hand, the political resolution of the Iranian crisis, the peaceful transition in Colombia and the adoption of a treaty banning nuclear weapons in the United Nations show that political solutions are possible and that nothing is irreversible.

The United Nations voted a nuclear-weapons treaty on 7 July. How can we get out of the era of nuclear terror?

Patrice Bouvere
By bringing this treaty into force so that the nine current nuclear powers – the five permanent members of the Security Council – the United States, Russia, France, China, the United Kingdom, plus India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea – find themselves forced to participate, not only by stopping to modernize their arsenal – as planned in particular by France – but also by eliminating their nuclear weapons in a controlled, transparent and irreversible way. This implies, of course, a complete change in their strategy, which is currently based on the threat of mass destruction, a strategy not aimed at ensuring the security of the population, but their domination on the international scene – or the regime’s “impunity” its national space as for North Korea or Israel – at the risk of total destruction of the planet! Yet, as Mikhail Gorbachev noted in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet bloc, “everyone must ensure the safety of the other”. It is exactly the opposite way that is being implemented with the nuclear threat and the increase in military budgets.

(Article continued on the right column)

(Click here for the original version of this article in French.)

Question for this article:

Does military spending lead to economic decline and collapse?

(Article continued from the left column)

Paul Quilès
This requires demonstrating that nuclear weapons are useless in current and future conflicts, that they are in themselves a cause of nuclear proliferation, that they are very costly, and that they are terribly dangerous. The world came close to the catastrophe during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, not to mention the dozens of accidents or possible misinterpretations that could have led to the outbreak of nuclear war. Tomorrow, a technical error, a cyber attack, a terrorist attack could threaten global security. Even limited use of nuclear weapons would have catastrophic environmental impacts on a part of the planet, resulting in the devastation of agriculture, cold and famine through a “nuclear winter”. The treaty that has just been voted at the UN is to delegitimize nuclear weapons, as has already been done to eliminate other weapons of mass destruction – biological, chemical – antipersonnel mines, submunitions, to prohibit nuclear testing and even to reduce nuclear weapons stocks (from 70,000 in the late 1990s to about 15,500 today). It is the indisputable proof of the will of a majority of States to overcome the era of nuclear terror, despite the strong contrary pressures of the “endowed” states.

Roland Nivet
The UN treaty of July 7 states that atomic weapons pose a major risk of humanitarian catastrophe. It prohibits any State from engaging in the development, testing, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession or storage of nuclear weapons and prohibits any commitment to use or threaten to use weapons nuclear. This is another historic achievement in the actions that, since the 1950s, have mobilized tens of millions of people for the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction, without undervaluing the determination of the military-industrial complex and of the nine States, which possess a total of 18,000 nuclear bombs (184 states do not), to delay its implementation. But the principle of the illegality of nuclear weapons being confirmed, it is the timetable for their elimination which is now on the agenda. The register of ratification of the treaty will be opened at the UN on September 20, 2017. There is urgency to get together in action to win ratification of the treaty by the maximum number of states, including France, but also the immediate freeze modernization programs, for which it is planned to double the expenditure on nuclear weapons in France in the years to come, when so many resources are lacking to meet social needs (health, education, employment).

What can be the role of popular mobilizations to promote peace as a goal of international relations?

Patrice Bouveret
War is above all the result of a political choice. So it is obvious that the mobilization of the various civil societies and the establishment of strong solidarities between them, are paramount. It remains to define what is meant by the word “peace”! We are witnessing a global pacification of our societies. The number of deaths due to armed conflict is decreasing. Except that in parallel, the number of migrants, the violence they suffer, is exploding; the climatic catastrophes have dramatic human consequences that are becoming more and more important, to take only the two most glaring examples … Except that this pacification takes place with a reinforcement of the militarization of our societies, through the development of various tools social control, the reduction of individual freedoms, etc.

Peace is not only the absence of war, but must be accompanied by freedom and social justice. It must be shared by all of us, no matter where on the planet we live. It is indeed the whole issue of the nuclear-weapons treaty that concerns the right of non-dominant states to say precisely the right, a binding right for all.

Roland Nivet
A global convergence of forces for peace is brought about by the mobilization of the peoples (trade unions, NGOs, parliamentarians, mayors, International Red Cross, feminist, pacifist and environmental movements, associations for the defense of human rights, social forums …) with the action of the United Nations. It is this convergence that has won the prohibition treaty and seeks to build peace through projects such as the culture of peace and the objectives of sustainable development (SDO). In this context, the collective “En marche pour la paix” was founded in France, including more than 120 different organizations working for human rights, against racism and xenophobia, for gender equality, for the decrease in armaments expenditure, for peace education, to deal with the climatic emergency. In this dynamic, 53 organizations of this collective have co-authored a white paper for peace, which formulates concrete alternative proposals for a policy of peace. This white paper is meant to be a tool for the debate and the popular mobilization of all those who intend to come together so that the right of everyone to peace and human security is the primary goal of international relations. Believing that “none of our differences of belief, belonging or philosophical, political, religious, trade union or other sensibilities should hinder the expression of our common will to live in peace in a world of solidarity, justice and fraternity”, this collective calls, within the framework of the International Day of Peace, to organize, all over France, Saturday, September 23, marches for peace to express this common will. These marches will also contribute to the global wave of peace launched on 6 August 2017 in Hiroshima

Paul Quilès
This mobilization would be desirable and certainly effective, even if the leaders do not always listen to the people! It would still be necessary for the latter to be able to express himself or herself and to be provided with the information needed to assess what is happening when a conflict spreads. For example, the alarmist and sometimes caricatured statements about the Korea do not help understand the distant origin of the confrontation between North Korea and the United States, the interests involved, and the role of China. By suggesting warlike responses (bombardment of Korean nuclear sites), evoking the hypothesis of a third world war, or suggesting that France might be at the mercy of a Korean missile fire, to prove to public opinion that there is no other answer than military, this is inaccurate.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe

From Europe to the United States, these cities oppose their governments to better accommodate migrants

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article by Rachel Knaebel for Bastamag

In the United States, hundreds of municipalities have chosen not to contribute to the hunt against the undocumented launched by Donald Trump. In Europe, many municipalities have commited themselves to a welcome of migrants. “Sanctuary cities”, “refuge cities” … From Italy to Great Britain, from Barcelona to Grande-Synthe, these communes are trying to constitute a veritable counter-power against unworthy and xenophobic policies.


Photo: LGBT demonstration of solidarity with refugees in London, June 2016 / CC Alisdare Hickson
(Click on the photo to enlarge)

In the United States, hundreds of municipalities have chosen not to contribute to the hunt against the undocumented launched by Donald Trump. In Europe, many municipalities have commited themselves to a welcome of migrants. “Sanctuary cities”, “refuge cities” … From Italy to Great Britain, from Barcelona to Grande-Synthe, these communes are trying to constitute a veritable counter-power against unworthy and xenophobic policies.

Barely elected President of the United States, Donald Trump passed a decree to cut federal funds to the hundreds of municipalities that criticized his anti-migrant policy. Confronted with Trump’s program, his willingness to expel undocumented migrants irrespective of the number of years of residence, and his desire to erect a wall on the Mexican border, many cities quickly declared themselves “Sanctuary cities”. These municipalities “have adopted policies that promise to protect and serve all their residents, regardless of their migratory status,” says the powerful American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

In effect, these cities refuse to cooperate with the federal security forces, when they ask them to put undocumented migrants in detention. They do not necessarily require citizens to produce a birth certificate or to stay legally to access local public services. Some sanctuary municipalities even decide to recognize non-US identity papers as valid in their territory or to distribute their own municipal identity papers to all their residents, regardless of their nationality.

From New York to Milan, via Barcelona

Some of the most important cities in the United States, such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Washington, have adopted this position. And they have not lost the battle against Donald Trump, since a federal judge blocked last April the decree of the president who wanted to cut off their resources.

In Europe too, faced with a historic crisis in the management of migration, local authorities are countering the closure policy pursued by the European Union states. Most European governments rely on safe management and agreements with undeveloped countries like Libya and Turkey (read our article Sending them to detention or to a dictatorship: this is how Europe “relocates” its refugees). However, in Milan on May 20, 100,000 people demonstrated at the initiative of the left-wing mayor of the city to promote the reception of migrants.

In February, it was the mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau, allied with the Podemos party, who called for a demonstration for the reception of migrants. Again, more than 100,000 people responded. The Catalan capital has also initiated an international network of cities committed to helping migrants, Solidarity Cities, intended to push the Spanish government to speed up the reception of refugees arriving in Europe, and to relocate them to Spain.

“France is not welcoming”

And in France ? There is the good example of Grande-Synthe, a northern town of 20,000 inhabitants, where the municipality has welcomed migrants en route to England (see our article Assuring migrants’ reception, ecology and social emancipation: the astonishing example of Grande-Synthe), notably by constructing a reception center with Médecin sans frontières with decent living conditions (taken over by the prefecture, the center was destroyed by a fire last April). Individual citizens also commit themselves, from Calais to the Italian border, and are sometimes taken to court for “Illegal acts of solidarity” (read our article At the Franco-Italian border, residents of the Roya valley risk imprisonment for helping migrants).

In Paris, thousands of migrants disembarked in the capital find themselves on the streets without any care and they are harassed by the police. Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced the opening of a first reception center in May. The center opened six months later. Scheduled for 500 people, it is too small and saturated permanently. According to the association France Terre d’asile, more than 1,000 migrants were still sleeping in the street in early July near the reception center. The association Gisti (Group of information and support to immigrants) also denounced the police violence against the migrants who were waiting in lines to enter the center. In spite of very real but dispersed initiatives (read here our article), “France is not welcoming”, regrets Filippo Furri. Will the French cities take over from a failing state?

(Article continued in right column)

(Click here for the original French version of this article)

Question for this article

The refugee crisis, Who is responsible?

(Article continued from left column)

Crisis of the Italian hosting model

“We must differentiate between networks of solidarity-based cities in Europe and the movement of sanctuary cities in the United States,” said Filippo Furri, a member of the Migreurop network and a doctoral candidate at the University of Montreal. In Europe, municipalities are forming a safe haven on the issue of asylum. In the United States, the movement has instead built itself to protect all undocumented immigrants who have lived in the country for a while. ”

Filippo Furri is well aware of the Italian case, in particular that of Venice: “With the Balkan war in the 1990s, there was a wave of refugees. In Venice, an initiative of citizen and NGO solidarity organized a dignified welcome. A reception system was set up at the beginning of the 2000s. Venice became a sort of prototype of the asylum system, which later developed in Italy, with the current emergency situation. ”

Along with Greece, Italy is one of the two main countries of arrival for the hundreds of thousands of people who land every year in Europe by sea, seeking asylum and security. More than 360 000 people have arrived by the Mediterranean Sea in Europe in 2016. More than 98 000 since the beginning of 2017 (more than 2000 migrants have already died in the Mediterranean Sea this year). Italy is therefore one of the countries that has to manage the reception of migrants in urgent and large numbers, in addition to sea rescues. In early July, its government called on other European countries to help care for newcomers. But instead of taking the side of hospitality, the Italian government also threatened at the same time to close its ports to the migrants.

Aid to development in the face of failing states

“Italy, like Greece, is becoming a real retention territory,” says Filippo Furri. There are forms of hospitality and hospitality in civil society. It is a response to state management, which is primarily aimed at controlling flows, sorting people, and scattering reception centers by imposing them on local governments. There is a conflict between the local reception of municipalities and the state control. In the same way that NGOs take over from the European states and authorities to save lives in the Mediterranean Sea, Italian municipalities are organizing to do what the Italian state refuses to do: to organize a dignified welcome and to encourage exchanges between the local population and newcomers.

The network of “Communes of the Earth for the World”, founded in 2003, today brings together more than 300 municipalities from all over Italy. For example, the association organizes an intercultural festival in Riace, a village in Calabria that has become one of the entry points for many migrants in the EU (see our article These villages that choose to welcome migrants). The association of municipalities also conducts international solidarity projects, such as a solar energy development project in the Sahel. “The Recosol network is organized on a logic of solidarity that goes beyond the issue of migration,” says Filippo Furri. It is a network of mutual assistance between local communities. ”

To constitute solidarity associations, beyond the sole objective of managing the emergency, this is surely the specificity of the networks of shelter cities in the face of the migration policies of the States. “The State leaves it up to the Italian municipalities to organize the reception of migrants. It is the municipalities that organize housing, language courses and local integration,” explained the coordinators of the network of municipalities Recosol. The Italian government’s policy suffers from the lack of a global vision and a national plan for the reception and integration of migrants. It is therefore the NGOs and the citizens, on the territory, who make the difference. ”

Sanctuary City in the UK

In Britain too, citizens and municipalities are countering the xenophobic policy of the Conservative government. “A Sanctuary City was created in Sheffield in 2005 by a small group of people who wanted to better accommodate the refugees,” said Forward Maisokwadzo, spokesperson for the British network. The Mayor of this city of 500,000 inhabitants in the north of England fully supported the initiative and made a public commitment to welcome asylum seekers and refugees in his city. “Then the movement became very important, in terms of the number of people and communes involved. It now includes a hundred municipalities. The idea is to work with everyone: citizens, associations, local authorities.”

For the movement “City of Sanctuary”, the key to hospitality is in this collective work. “The actions carried out by the movement vary from place to place. They can, for example, involve raising awareness of the issue of the reception of asylum seekers, says Forward Maisokwadzo. In Bristol, the city has tackled the problem of deprivation of asylum seekers, who receive very little financial support and are not allowed to work during their study. A dozen other cities are committed to the issue. Their job is also to push the government to address this issue.”

(Thank you to Kiki Chauvin, the CPNN reporter for this article.)

Europe, North America, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY,

Germany: The dead refugees lament! Action September 5

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

A press release from Kultur des friedens (translated by CPNN)

On Tuesday 5 September 2017 at 12 noon, at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
a 100 meter long banner was erected listing the names of 17,306 refugees that have died in the Mediterranean since 2012. It serves as a memorial to them and as a resistance to the inhuman policy that contributed to their deaths, the restrictive policy of the European Union (Fortress Europe). The dead lament. This action takes place on the occasion of the last General Debate on current political issues in the Bundestag before the parliamentary elections which will take place on Tuesday 5 September .

Members of the Culture of Peace Society (GKF) have just returned from refugee camps in Greece, most recently from Mytilini / Lesbos, where the central place was occupied by refugees because they no longer see any prospect of leaving the island. The real cause of their flight was ignored at the latest European refugee summit, as the federal government combats the consequences of its own misguided policy.

At the same time, a reminder action is called for at the Brandenburg Gate on 5 September 2017 at 12 noon, parallel to the meeting in the Bundestag.

We ask the media to announce the event and to report how the cause of death was war, poverty, climate change and human rights violations.

Question for this article
Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Iceland: Spirit of Humanity Forum promotes love, transformation and humanity

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article by Myrian Castello, Fábrica dos Sonhos (the Dream Factory)

Every two years the Spirit of Humanity Forum (www.sohforum.org) brings together leaders from around the world to talk about love, peace and humanity, to empower people and encourage a lasting transformation in the world.


This year the forum took place in Reykjavik, Iceland, and I was fortunate to be one of the invited guests. The Forum featured a one-day pre-event focused on education in which we talked about the possibilities of building an education based on multiple values ​​such as love, empathy, hope and courage. Some of the questions were “What is the purpose of education?” And “Where do we begin to change?”

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In the following days we heard the speech of the President of Iceland, which was full of humanity, telling about the history of his life in a very welcoming way. He shared with us the changes needed in the world beginning with each person, including himself and he ended with a poem written by him. We then heard panels with people sharing their stories and took part in various workshops geared toward love, transformation and culture of peace.

In response to one of the questions, “How should we be so that there is peace?” we talked about the power of relationships and how we need to understand relationships at different levels (intrapersonal, interpersonal, nature, planetary), the importance of the energy you bring to a conversation and how it is possible even sitting in an auditorium for a speaker to transform the stage into a circle of viewers by leading the conversation and sharing the journey.

What remained was “We are created by life as we have created it” and the importance of establishing connections and giving support to people and relationships. Coexistence, understanding what makes us human and connection are certainly important themes for being, becoming and making peace.

(Click here for the article in Portuguese)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces offers its support to the network “Mayors for Peace” and proposes future initiatives in an assembly in Japan

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from El Diario (reprinted according to the rules of Creative Commons)(translation by CPNN)

The Mayor of Móstoles (Madrid) and President of the International Relations Commission of the FEMP, Socialist David Lucas, expressed the support of the institution to the IX General Assembly of the Mayors for Peace Network, 8 and 9 August in the Japanese city of Nagasaki. This forum is designed to build peace and the FEMP has expressed the commitment and collaboration of the Spanish mayors towards this objective.

On behalf of the FEMP, Lucas addressed the plenary session with regard to future action plans, including the abolition of nuclear weapons by 2020. During his speech he called for a greater collaboration of Mayors for Peace with other global actors, such as the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and UN-Habitat, for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Questions for this article:

How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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Following the proposal of the FEMP, the 2017-2019 action plan of “Mayors for Peace” includes compliance with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development objectives and the reinforcement of coordinated work with UCLG. Lucas also expressed the need to involve other regional actors such as the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the Council of Europe.

The mayor of Móstoles emphasized in his speech that the commitment of the FEMP to the organization “Mayors for Peace” has made it possible in the last year to involve 130 Spanish cities in this initiative.

Lucas is accompanied in Japan by several first selectmen: Josep Mayoral of Granollers (Barcelona), Alberto Casero of Trujillo (Cáceres), and Martí Pujol of Llinar del Vallès, along with the Spanish ambassador in Tokyo, Gonzalo de Benito.

The FEMP participates in the strategy of city diplomacy and peacebuilding through the UCLG world organization. ‘Mayors for Peace’ network is an indispensable partner in such relevant issues as development, culture of peace, migration, coexistence and intercultural dialogue. After several years of collaboration with the Global Network of ‘Mayors for Peace’, the last plenary session of the FEMP promoted the adhesion of Spanish local governments to the Network with the objective of forming a Spanish section within the Federation.

(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe

Romania: IPDTC Training programs for peacebuilding and violence prevention

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

Information from Claire Payne, Global Coordinator of the International Peace and Development Training Centre (IPDTC)

Our teams at the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the International Peace and Development Training Centre (IPDTC) have provided customised programmes for UN missions and agencies all over the world, as well as for governments, negotiating parties, intergovernmental organisations, and local, national and international organisations working in peacebuilding, violence prevention, social cohesion, and post-war stabilisation, recovery and peace consolidation.

We are launching now our Calendar of Training Programmes for the second half of 2017 and 2018 which include a series of Advanced Certificate Programmes at the IPDTC Global Academy in Cluj-Napoca, and Executive Leadership and Intensive Core skills Trainings in London. From January 2018 we will also offer online programmes on addressing radicalisation and violent extremism and core skills for Designing Peacebuilding Programming for peacebuilding, mediation and prevention.

In October of this year we are hosting the two Advanced Certificate Programmes:

  1.     Making prevention, early warning & peacebuilding effective: lessons learned, what works in the field and core skills

This is a hands-on and practical program created to assist governments, inter-governmental organisations and civil society organisations and agencies in the field. It is the only one of its kind internationally going in-depth into what works in prevention, how to make early warning systems effective, and how to do peacebuilding with impact to prevent wars, armed violence, and crisis escalation. Prevention, Early Warning and Peacebuilding draws on the key lessons from the field, experiences on the ground, and real case studies to identify critical lessons and challenges in peacebuilding and prevention – and how they can be addressed in practice. The programme also focuses on developing a customised roster of measures, tools and approaches to making peacebuilding and prevention work effectively on the ground in participants own contexts.

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Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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Prevention, Early Warning and Peacebuilding offers participants an intensive, stimulating and challenging environment with experienced practitioners and policy makers from the UN, governments, and local, national and international agencies and organizations from around the world. This allows participants to learn together with practitioners from multiple conflict contexts, agencies, and levels of operation and engagement. Staff of the International Peace and Development Training Centre (IPDTC) and PATRIR’s Department of Peace Operations provide tailored support to assist participants in enhancing in-depth knowledge, applied skills and customized approaches relevant for their needs and contexts. The programme also assists review, development and strengthening of national and organizational strategies and early warning and prevention systems, tools and approaches.

2.      Designing peacebuilding programmes: improving the quality, impact and effectiveness of peacebuilding and peace support

This is an intensive training programme designed for agencies, organisations and practitioners working in conflict, crisis and post-war stabilisation and recovery who wish to to improve the quality, effectiveness and sustainable impact of their programmes – including crisis management and prevention, peacebuilding, social, economic and political stabilisation, reconciliation in divided communities, and post-war recovery, rehabilitation and development.

Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in over 40 countries, Designing Peacebuilding Programmes represents the most advanced training programme of its kind for policymakers, practitioners, government officials and donors internationally.

There is a gap between the scale of people’s efforts and investment, the huge number of programmes, activities and organisations in the field, and the impact this is all having on peacebuilding and sustainable post-war recovery and stabilisation. This programme has been designed to close that gap. It is practical and operational, designed for policy makers, donors and practitioners, and those dealing with the daily challenges of peacebuilding, development and recovery in areas affected by war and violence. Unlike almost every programme in the field today, it draws from across the entire breadth of operational experience, lessons learned and practical methodologies – doing so in a way that has been designed to enable agencies and organisations to go in-depth into their work and how they are doing it, coming out with better designs, better approaches, and with real effects.
There is a reduction of 15% if three or more members of an agency / organisation register. You can also find out more information at www.patrir.ro/training.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe